ROCKFORD — Sarah Huber knew she wanted her son, Konnor, involved in sports at an early age.

She just didn’t figure it would be age 3.

That’s how old Konnor was when Sarah signed him up for a six-week hockey class. Blame it on him watching a movie called “MVP: Most Valuable Primate” in which a chimpanzee plays hockey.

“I knew I wanted him to play sports because of all the positive things you can learn like having fun, social skills and learning how to work with others,” she said. “I was a figure skater, so I know what sports did for me. I didn’t think it would be so early, but he was persistent and wanted to play.”

Both the Kids Sports Network and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend introducing kids to organized sports at ages 5 or 6. That’s because most children younger than that don’t pick up directions easily and have a hard time sharing and relying on others.

Sarah can attest to that. Now 4, Konnor is playing baseball this summer for the Rockford Boys and Girls Club, and Sarah said his attention is often all over the place.

“He really likes to bat, so he’s learning how to bat better,” she said. “At first, I don’t think he was grasping the whole team thing yet. Certain kids pick up on certain things.”

Start early or later?

While ages 5-6 are the recommended starting points for organized sports, it doesn’t automatically predict that basic motor skills such as throwing, catching, kicking and hitting a ball will develop sooner.

Many parents fear that if they don’t get their children signed up early, they will fall behind and it will hurt their chances of playing or even making the team years down the road.

But the American Academy of Pediatrics cites: “Teaching or expecting these skills to develop before children are developmentally ready is more likely to cause frustration than long-term success in the sport.”

Belvidere North baseball coach Dennis Kehrer agrees.

“Usually a kid starts playing baseball around ages 5 or 6 with tee-ball or coach pitch,” he said. “They learn the fundamentals of the sport, and by the time they are 10 or 12, they would have broken out of bad habits. Baseball is a game that is all about repetition.

“But for a child to excel, it really depends on the type of athlete they are. I don’t think if you start softball your freshman year in high school, it’s too late. An athlete has to work hard to gain that experience and that comes by getting in the batting cage and putting in the work.”

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Fear of Burnout

Sakayla Davenport started playing basketball at age 7. To improve her skills, her parents got her involved in Amateur Athletic Union, a group dedicated to amateur sports. Over the years, she did other sports like volleyball and track, but basketball was her mainstay. This fall, she will play for Casper College (Wyo.) on a scholarship.

“I never felt any pressure to do basketball,” Davenport said. “I felt I wanted to play, and I gave it my all. I know of friends who lost the love for basketball and didn’t play anymore. Some were bench players who didn’t get any playing time and others didn’t have any family support.”

Steven Milos, a local orthopaedic surgeon and Rockford Raptors Club physician, said starting kids off in sports at a young age does not guarantee long-term success.

“An interesting study found that kids that participated in sports like cycling, swimming and skating who started significant training around age 15 were more likely to become elite-level athletes than their peers who started training earlier,” he said. “They found injuries and burn-out the most common factors.”

Stillman Valley football coach Michael Lalor said there are ways to avoid burnout.

“First, it should be the kids’ choice and desire to want to play, not the parent,” he said. “Second, parents and coaches running the league should always try to do a little less than more, fewer nights practicing and fewer games. Create a situation that kids are always hoping for more rather than dreading going to practice or to a game.

“And always keep in mind that it is a game, and a game is supposed to be fun. So find ways to make the experience fun and kids will want to stay involved.”

Coming back

Raptors Club soccer coach Hugh Ward said he’s seen kids start off in soccer at early ages but drop off during their early teen years to return to the sport at an older age.

“If there is an age where we see a dropout, it would be the year that players enter high school,” he said. “This is a trend nationwide, not just in Rockford. We find that as they enter high school, they have so many more demands on their time, both academically and with sport activities. It is at this time that some players leave the sport as they try to figure out the adjustment in their school lives.”

Milos said that the best age to start a child in a sport shouldn’t be the focus, but rather the approach the parent takes.

“When you decide to start a child in a sport, the goal should be for the child to learn fundamental skills and learn the rules of a particular sport,” he said. “It is also a great way to exercise and build teamwork and friendships.

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“Parents should make playing a sport fun and take pressure off of winning or losing to maximize enjoyment.”

We asked several high school coaches and other experts their thoughts on when a child should be introduced to different sports.

Bowling: Brad Sommer, Guilford boys bowling coach

“I look at it like many other sports, the earlier the child can get involved the better as long as the child has the attention span to grasp some basic coaching. I think the age of 7 or 8 is common. Bumper bowling for kids (4-6 years old) are fun and entertaining for them, but not much skill development is going on.”

Cheerleading: Tammy Rentschler, Belvidere North cheer coach

“I feel that age 8 is about the right time to really start; no earlier than 6. At about age 6-8, they should be getting involved with a good tumble gym that promotes good basic tumbling (and or gymnastics) to develop the whole athlete. Obviously, learning to tumble at an early age has great advantages; the entire body is strengthened and flexibility is incorporated, as well as the confidence to invert one’s body without fear.”

“Some kids have the desire to play as early as 4 or 5, but the majority begin at ages 8 – 10. Around age 8, children will have the attention span to learn golf skills, some have the attention span much earlier and some are older. This is why parental involvement is crucial. Parents know if their child can focus for 5 minutes or 45 minutes. If they are in the 5 minute attention span, perhaps they would need to wait a year to start. But what trumps everything, is the child’s desire – If they ask about playing golf, taking lessons, then they are probably ready to give golf a try.”

Football: Mike Lalor, Stillman Valley football coach

“I don’t think kids should start playing tackle football before 5th or 6th grade. I am a big believer that if a kid is not very interested in playing tackle at a early age, then their parents should not push it. Wearing pads and getting hit is not a natural thing and if you’re not excited about it, the odds of the kid quitting or not coming out the next year are pretty high.”

Swimming: Christy Mackey, Freeport boys swim coach

“On our club (Freeport Aquatic Swim Team) we have swimmers as young as 5. I definitely think it is a great idea to introduce them to the sport at a young age. But I want to stress that I think it is a great idea to introduce them to a variety of sports at a young age.

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“At the early ages...the most important thing we teach is stroke technique but we also introduce them to swimming rules and team cooperation/competitiveness. We encourage them to learn enough to be able to start swim meets when they feel comfortable.”

Running: Troy Yunk, Belvidere North boys cross country coach

“A good age to start summer track is usually at 9 years old. They learn a lot of different things about certain events that they might be interested in. It gives them the opportunity to grow.”

Basketball: Mike Winters, Boylan boys coach

“It varies on the kids. The biggest thing is at ages 5-6-7 they have to be having fun. Around ages 6 or 7 is probably a good time to introuduce them to it, but it also depends on their interest or maturity.

“If they’re asking you to do it, then it’s probably a good time.”

Tennis: Tracy Palmer, Auburn tennis coach

“Get started at age 5. You can tell the differnece between those that have been playing all their lives and those who haven’t. Just get a mini-racket in their hand and let them get used to the hand-eye coordination.”

“You have to learn to skate before you learn the actual game, so that can start at age 3 or 4. Depending on the kid, ages 5-6-7 are good times to start playing hockey.”

Picking out age-appropriate activities

Experts concur that it’s crucial not to start a child in sports too soon. Growing children need time to develop the hand-eye co-ordination and physical build to take part in many sporting activities. They must also develop the cognitive skills to understand and internalize the rules of a sport.

“Developmental evidence suggests that young children learn where to go and what to do by repetition. But that doesn’t mean they understand it,” says Professor Peter Donnelly, Director of the Centre for Sport Policy Studies in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. “They don’t really grasp the rules of a sport on a conceptual level until they’re older.”

In light of this, it is best to choose age-appropriate activities. The following age and activity guidelines are useful.

Ages 2 to 5: Most children can master many basic movements, but these should be practiced using free play rather than organized sports. Think activities such as throwing, running, kicking, catching a light ball, or pedalling with training wheels.

Ages 6 to 7: At this age, a child can usually understand a little about teamwork and better follow directions. This is when you can start considering an organized sport such as softball, soccer, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, or athletics.

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Ages 8 and older: A slightly older child is better able to participate in a wider range of sports, including contact sports (with proper protective gear) such as basketball, hockey or martial arts.

Ages 11 to 12: If your child is so inclined, this is the age at which they can normally take part in competitive sports, where keeping score and tracking wins and losses are essential.